Changes
by Cr8zeCorbinFangirl
Summary: When tragedy strikes the family, changes begin. R&R COMPLETED!
1. Chapter 1

The doctors pushed out of the way, letting the people from the morgue do they're jobs in removing the passed away to a well-rest. One, a tall one with a stubble of a beard colored a tint darker than the coat that graced him, bowed his head as he walked away from the scene. "I'm terribley sorry for your lost." He whispered, almost as a robotic telemarketer does over the phone to a victim, to the family he passed.

This family, crazy and wacky mind you, was a conjoined family that had just faced the most horrid thing to ever happen to them. You may know them as the Venturi-MacDonald family.

Casey MacDonald, a fifteen-year-old strong-minded beautiful brunette girl, kneeled beside her thirteen-year-old sister and same age step-brother. The two were crying, yet trying to stay tough. She grasped their shoulders and the two both turned into her own shoulders and cried immediately. But her own blue eyes were not even glassed.

Her mother turned into her husband's shoulder and her husband held her as they cried together. Casey could hear their sobs and that brought up a realization.

She comforted Lizzie and Edwin.

Nora was comforted by George and vise versa.

But who comforted Derek?

She looked behind her to see her usually cocky step-brother, just standing there. He hunched over, his knees shaking and ready to break. The tears were welling up in his brown eyes, threatening that at any given moment, would fall and crack his facade.

Pulling away from her younger siblings, she told them that someone else needed her at the moment. It would seem her words fell upon deaf ears as they just turned to the other in a hug. She would have smiled if the air around her allowed it.

Standing, she turned and walked to the one who had taken the deepest hit out of all them. He had lost his best friend. The girl his life had revolved about. She reached out a hand...

But Derek just swatted it away before it reached it's destination. "Don't touch me." He snapped.

Casey gulped, feeling hurt.

He looked up and saw the hurt in her eyes. "...please..." He whispered.

They both looked at the ground, trying not to notice the tragedy that had just struck.

A jingle.

"I'll drive."

Casey nodded, snapping her fingers, not wanting to say anything. The others looked up and she motioned for them to follow her and Derek. The did so.

Derek whispered only two words.


	2. Chapter 2

"Goodbye...Smarti..."


	3. Chapter 3

Next Day

Casey awoke, the air still thick in the Venturi-MacDonald household. But, still, she had to move on with her life.

Marti would want that.

Picking out an outfit, any old thing that brushed her hands, she made her way down the steps.

The house was quiet and nobody was found anywhere. She pursed her lips as she made herself a bowl of cereal. Casey began to eat.

As she put everything away, she glanced at the clock. She and Derek were to be in school in half an hour. Why wasn't he up?

Turning around, she tip-toed up the steps to her step-brother's room. She raised her fist to bang on the door and froze. Why would she do that? Force of habit...

Instead, with the tip of her index finger, she tapped at the door. "Derek?"

Nothing.

Trying the handle, she found it locked. Shaking her head, she looked around for the flip in the carpetting Edwin had told her Derek had hidden a key, for in case he should lock himself out his own room. Finding it, she grabbed the key and unlocked the door.

And she became confused.

There was no Derek, only a huddle upon his bed, covered in a bundle. Cautiosley, she walked forward. As she drew closer, she noticed the figure shuddering and shivering.

"Derek?"

"AHGH!" Casey yelped, jumping back once Derek shot up. The boy was panting badly, a crazed look in his eyes. "Marti!"

Casey overcame her shock and raced to her step-brother, holding him down as he let every part of his body fly about. She bit her tongue as he had begun to kick her and beat her, telling herself that for once, he wasn't meaning to hurt her. Repeatedly, the sixteen-year-old called out for Marti, the movements increasing every minute. Casey was forced to dig in her nails, spilling blood even if it was little. She had no other choice. He was a crazy man at this moment.

Knowing nothing else to do, she embraced him like she had wanted to at the hospital. Derek still pulsed against her, calling out for the three-year-old they all missed.

But not for long.

In a period of ten minutes and twenty-one seconds, Derek had morphed from a teenage, cocky boy who played hockey and whom's favorite pastime was to bug his step-sister and new expanded family or flock with the female species to a crazy man who saw nothing but the dead and involuntarily beat the living to, finally, a sobbing, broken soul.

And Casey comforted him none the less.

She rubbed his back, brushing his hair, comforting him with names that a mother would to their child. But it didn't bother Casey at this moment. At this moment, Derek was a hurt three-year-old.

Just like Marti.

"I'm so scared. I'm so scared..."

Casey nodded. "We all are, sweetheart. Just go back to sleep. Ok?"

Derek nodded into Casey's shoulder and Casey pushed him back into his mattress. She pushed the covers over him and brushed his hair out of his eyes as soon as his eyelids began to droop.

_He's not going to stay like that for long..._

Thinking on her feet, as usual, Casey rushed to the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. Looking upon the colorful labels, one popped out at her, but she ignored it for now. "Here we are." Grabbing a seperate and filling a glass of water and shuffling back to Derek's room.

"Derek? Sweetheart, wake up for a second."

Derek obeyed and Casey had to bite her already swollen lip at the sight of his puffy, red, swollen brown eyes that so little ago held a sparkle of life never ending. Shaking her head, Casey pulled up Derek's head a little, prying apart his lips with the side of the glass and pouring the drug-induced water down his throat.

And immediately, Derek fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

As Bob watched Casey set down her things in his office, he saw a difference in her that could just not be placed. She looked the same, glowing as usual. But her eyes were hollow. Her movements were slowed just a fraction of a New York Second. And, as she stretched out to get a book that had fallen out, he could see the faintest hint of black and blue.

"So, Casey, how are you today?"

"Alright, considering."

"Considering?"

"My baby step-sister, Marti, has been diagnosed with Mesolthioma. She died last night in the hospital."

Bob raised his hand to his lips. "Oh, my...well...how are you holding up?" Bob braced himself for the tears, but was shocked when all Casey did was inhale.

"Good. I'm staying strong."

"And your...family?" Bob seemed hesitant on the word Casey rarely used.

"Unknown. Except for Derek. He's turned into a child."

"Now, Casey, don't you seem that's a little harsh?"

Casey's eyes widened just a bit. "Oh, it wasn't meant in a harsh way. It's true." To that, she pulled off her jacket to show the dotted bruises up her arm. "There's more on my legs."

Bob just gazed. "How did this..."

"This morning, I woke him up and he started calling out 'Marti, Marti!' He was wild, kicking and punching everywhere. I know he didn't mean it, he was just dealing with the pain. Then he started crying. He should be sleeping right now. I gave him some sedatives to make sure he didn't do anything stupid until I got home to take care of him." She looked up at the counselor. "Which reminds me. Can you please tell the school board that Derek will not be in for a while? If they ask, tell them what I told you. If they say he's lying, mention me."

Bob nodded. "Got it." He leaned back in his chair. "So...how's everyone else."

"I woke up my parents this morning. My mom said she's call in for Lizzie and Edwin. Which reminds me again. Can you ask the school board if I could get off the last half of the day. I have to pick them up from school and by the time the bell rings, I'm a bit too late and I don't want them to be waiting too long."

Bob nodded once more.

"Thanks." The warning bell rung. "Bye Bob." Without another word nor glance, Casey walked out of the room, leaving Bob to ponder...

_What was new with Casey?_


	5. Chapter 5

As Casey entered, she noticed how things were going to be for a while. George was no where to be found, but when asked, was reported to be in his study working on some big case. Her mother was at the table, a clutter of papers before her. Edwin and Lizzie were told to be upstairs in the attic/Edwin's room with a few games from the game closet.

"What about Derek?"

"Who?"

Casey almost choked, gagged, and died right there. "Derek. You know, the eldest of the Venturi children? The one I've been in constant bickering with for the past 19 months?"

Nora shook her head. "Right, Derek. Sorry Casey. He's been up in his room as far as I've known. George seems to know as far as me as well."

_Note to self: Check on Derek everyday. Second Note to Self: Make sure to stock up on sedatives. _"Thanks." She turned to go the stairs. "Mom?"

Nothing.

"Nora?"

No response.

"Ms.MacDonald?"

"Yes?"

Casey sighed. "I'll order tonight. What would you like?"

"Sweet and Sour, please."

"Yes Ma'am." And Casey trudged up to her room. Grabbing a pen and pad, she ran up to the attic.

Attic 

Lizzie and Edwin seemed the most normal. They were smiling, laughing, just being preteens enjoying themselves. Casey almost hated to intrude. "Lizzie, Edwin. We're having Chinese tonight. What do you want?"

"Tarieyki Chicken."

"Rice balls and Sushi, please."

Casey wrote their 'orders' down and left. As she closed the door, she could hear dice being rolled and the sound of laughter.

Study 

"George?"

Nothing

"Dad?"

No response

"Mr. Venturi?"

The blond looked up. "Casey, I didn't see you there. What can I do for you? Can it please be quick? I have a lot of work here."

Casey leaned against the doorframe, the pen and pad poised for quick writing. "Chinese. Your order sir?"

"Sushi."

"Yes, sir."

Hallway 

Casey poised herself outself Derek's room, pad and pen forgotten. She listened closely. If they sedative worked as it should have, she would hear a faint rustling come from inside, signaling Derek was awaking.

Bingo.

Removing herself from the door, she opened the hunk of wood and glanced upon the teenager. "Hey."

Derek rubbed his eyes. "Hey." He looked outside. "What time is it?"

"6:05 pm"

"Why wasn't I woken up?"

Casey racked her brain. Anything from the truth...Anything from the truth..."My mom called us in sick. Anyways, I'm ordering Chinese. Whatcha want."

"Sushi on the menu?"

"As always."

"Sushi then."

"Got it. Now get dressed." Casey turned to leave, the handle in her hand.

Not before she asked a needed question.

"Derek, how'd you sleep?"

Derek was silent. "Dreamless..."

And as Casey shut the door, she turned to her own room.

_Defiently stock up on sedatives._


	6. Chapter 6

Bob watched Casey set down her things and sit in the chair before him. It had been a total of three weeks and a day since Marti's death and Casey had long since lost her happiness of the normal days or the spark she once had to life.

"So, how's your life going?"

"Differently?"

"I see." Bob began to rake his thoughts for something - anything - to give him some insight on just _how_ different Casey's life had begun. "Casey," He opened his desk drawer, "I want you to make a list on your daily routine, from when you wake up to when you go to sleep."

"Alright."

As soon as Bob gave her a pad of paper and a pencil, Casey began to write. It was only three, maybe four minutes and a half after that Bob recieved the pad back. "Alright, ummm..." He read over the list...

- Wake up 1st  
- Get Dressed  
- Eat  
- Get Sedatives  
- Wake up Derek  
- Calm Derek down  
- Drug Derek  
- Wake up Lizzie and Edwin  
- Wake up Mom and George  
- Drive Lizzie and Edwin to School  
- School  
- Pick up Lizzie and Edwin  
- Take Orders/Pick up Dinner  
- Check on Derek  
- Serve Dinner  
- Lizzie/Edwin. Attic  
- Mom. Dinner Table  
- George. Study  
- Derek. Room  
- Drug Derek Again  
- Sleep.

"Why doesn't everybody eat together? And why does Derek on the list so often?"

"Derek...has lost it. He's as fragile as Marti was when she was alive. He refuses to leave his room. Edwin once tried to drag him out and once his toe passed the threshold, he began to scream out for Marti like he would when I wake him up. I had to punch Derek just to make sure he wouldn't hurt Edwin. I closed the door and when I opened it again to bring his food, he was huddling in his chair with his legs to his chest. I've resorted to putting his food on a plate and sliding it under the door." Casey reported all of this as if it was just another fact of the day and not a real serious situation.

Bob was shocked. "Casey, he's a danger. He has to be admitted to a mental institution." He picked up the phone.

Casey placed two fingers upon the hook. "Bob, please. Derek is just sleeping through the pain. I or you admit him to an institution, he's never going to wake up." Casey stared him down, her blue eyes cold and hard.

"I trust you."

Casey gave a forced smile. "Thank you." The warning bell rang. "Goodbye Bob." Casey gathered her things and left. Leaving Bob to question once more...

_What was new with Casey?_


	7. Derek Wakes Up

Derek slept peacefully in his room, oblivious to his step-sister sitting beside him, mixing his newest drugged drink.

Atleast for the moment.

Muttering, as he did for the while, his brown eyes fluttering open to look at her. "Casey?"

The brunette looked at him and gave him a warm smile. "It's okay..." She went back to stirring his drink.

Derek pulled one of his hands up, gripping it onto Casey's bare arm. Casey looked at him with shock. "Please...don't put me to sleep. Please..." His voice is, for once, not his sister's, but his.

Casey smiled once more, pulling his hand off her and placing the glass upon his nightstand. She brushes his bangs away. "Okay."

Derek looks upon her arms and her middle, exposed due to her wearing a sports bra. Black, purple, brown, and blue spots dott randomly about the skin. "Casey, what happened to you?"

For a second, Casey actually took notice to her bruises. It shocked her more. Derek was...breaking through? It was the first time in the month, two weeks, two days, ten hours, fourty-six minutes, and ten seconds that one morning, Derek didn't convulse or cry out. Quickly, Casey shook her head. Her mind was just clearing for a second. She was fine. "Oh, you know, Klutzilla strikes again." She smiled lightly. "You, er, you want to go to school today?"

He nodded.

"You need to get dressed. You going to be okay?"

Another nod.

"Ok, call if you need anything." She leaned in to kiss his forehead and left, her faint footsteps pointing to the attic.


	8. Chapter 8

Derek went through his day completely and utterly in confusion.

His baby brother and step-sister were acting as if he had just be found after running away or being kidnapped. Girls were all over him even more than often. And his friends were pushing him towards the ones that didn't even more than that. He had so much homework that the teachers for some reason were calling 'missed' work.

He was tired throughout his day, sending him in a slush. He tried his best not to fall asleep right there in history class, but he leaned into his palm like he would a pillow.

As he walked out of class, Sam came rushing up to him, wearing a bright, wide smile. "Hey, man. You look terrible."

Derek scoffed pathetically. "Tell me about it."

"Maybe hitting on little, unaware Stacy Skeech would help?" The blond gestured to the short, red-head girl who was quietly wiping her glasses while trying to find something in her purse.

Derek growled. "My little sister, and quiet possibly my best friend, died yesterday. Girls aren't in my intrest anymore."

Sam scoffed. "Derek..."

But Derek wasn't listening. His eyes were locked on the familiar brunette, walking with an emotionless look on her face pass the counselor's office. He looked down at his watch and was even more confused. It was the usual time Casey went in to see Bob. Why was she just passing his office?

"Hey, man..."

"Sam, just shut up, okay? I don't need you right now. Later."

Derek quickly walked away from his 'friend' and over to his step-sister. She was walking quicker than she usually did, which sent Derek only further in confusion. He grabbed Casey's arm and spun her around. She gave a questioned turn to the head. "What?"

"Don't you usually go to see Bob now?"

"He's not on my schedule. I don't _need_ to see him." Casey yanked her arm out of Derek's grip, which was surprisingly weak. Immediately, her manicured fingers went to her temple, rubbing it in pain. "See you later."

Derek raised an eyebrow and looked back at the counselor's office. If Casey wouldn't give him answers, maybe Bob would.

* * *

Bob heard a knock on his door. "Come in." The door opened a little. Enough to show a face. "Come in Derek." Bob pushed up in his chair, ready to listen. 

Derek walked in, closing the door and sitting in the chair before the counselor. "How you doin'?"

"I think that's something for you to answer."

Derek breathed. "Tired. Very Tired. And everybody is acting like my little sister didn't die just yesterday night."

Bob raised an eyebrow.

Derek sighed. "Why does it seem like everybody knows something I don't?!" He snapped, combing his fingers through his course hair.

Bob leaned forward. "Derek..." Derek looked up. "Marti's been dead for a month and a half."

Derek's brown eyes widened in surprise as he scrambled in his pockets for his cell phone. He flipped it on and searched for the calender.

Bob was right. It was a month, two weeks, two days, ten hours, fourty-six minutes, and ten seconds since the doctors told him, personally, that his baby sister was dead.

"Thanks...I got to go."

Derek ran for the door. Before his hand turned the knob, his attention was turned back to the counselor, who said, "You should thank Casey. She's...done a lot for you."


	9. Chapter 9

That night, Casey was on her computer, typing away for her schoolwork. In complete and utter peace.

Until Derek came crashing into her room.

Casey just turned around in question. "Derek, what do you want?"

Breathing heavily, Derek growled in a low voice, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"What are you talking about?"

Curling his fist in and out, Derek looked around the room. His eyes landed upon a family picture on her shelf. With everyone smiling. Lizzie, Edwin, Nora, his father, Casey, himself,...

Marti...

His anger rising and boiling again, he grabbed the picture and slammed it to the ground. Casey screamed, jumping up and pushing her seat in front of her to attempt to shield herself from the flying glass. "About Marti! Why didn't you tell me about Marti!? God dammit, Casey, she was my life! Why didn't you tell me how long she's been dead! What is this, a game to you?! Did you wake up this morning and think 'Hey, I'm gonna mess with Derek's head by not telling him how long his best friend has been dead.' You are a sick sister that way, Casey MacDonald!"

Casey breathed a shaky and shaggy breath. "Derek..."

Derek walked over the glass, it crushing beneath his sneakers, he closed in on Casey, who pushed deeper into the wall. His face was right above hers, close enough Casey could count the pores upon his face and could see the blazing flame within his chocolate eyes. He opened his mouth and his steaming breath was breathed upon Casey's eyes. "You don't even give a damn that she's dead."

Casey's eyes widened. She lifted a hand and sharply back-handed Derek across the face. Tears welled up in her voice, as well as her eyes. "How dare you say that! I loved Marti as much as you did! Don't you dare say I didn't give a damn care in the world about her death!"

Derek, who had been holding his reddening cheek, recoiled and stared at Casey with the fire even bigger in his eyes. "Then why haven't you told me anything? Why haven't I seen you cry just once?"

Casey growled. "I can't deal with this." She pushed past Derek and opened a drawer in her dresser, looking for something.

Derek walked over, watching her over her shoulder.

Casey fished out what she needed. Pouring what she needed into her palm, she proceeded to send them down her throat. Derek grabbed her arm, sending them flying instead. She grabbed the item out of her hand and stared at it, then to Casey, then to it again, and so on.

Finally he yelled at her. "Lithium? You're on freaking lithium!?"

Casey ripped the bottle out of his hand. "I had to be. You were crazy, Nora and George are work-crazy. Lizzie and Edwin are the only ones normal enough and I can't break them. More importantly, _I_ can't break."

Derek shook his head. "What do mean 'I was Crazy'?

Casey raised an eyebrow. "You...don't remember?"

"I don't remember anything beside..._**that**_ night."

Casey raced to the bathroom, looking for the sedatives. She found the bottle and rotated it furiously, looking for the side-effects.

_Agitation, Anxiety, Confusion, Depression, Disorientation, Hallucinations, Hangovers, Insomnia..._

_**Amnesia**_

Casey gazed up at the mirror, her eyes blind. She let the bottle drop from her hands as the word bounced and rang all over her mind.

_Amnesia...Amnesia...Amnesia...Amnesia..._

"Casey?" Derek looked at his step-sister. She was frozen. Her hands were before her, like she was holding something. "Casey?" He called again, but nothing.

He raced downstairs, going to the kitchen. There his father and step-mother were both at the table. "Dad, Nora, Casey is..."

"Derek, you really need to grow up. You and Casey are nearing sixteen-years-old. It's about time you sort this out yourselves without fighting and without our aid. Now, please excuse us, because we really need to work here."

Derek stood there, mouth open. "You jerks."

George and Nora both froze in their work. "What did you just say?" Nora looked up at her eldest step-son from the end of the table.

"You jerks. You are the most inattentive, horrible, miserable, pathetic excuse for human-being parents that I've ever heard and seen of. Your daughter, your's too Dad, is up there, a lithium-crave in her blood and frozen as the continent of Antartica and the two of you are busy burying your noses in insignificant work like the cowards you are. If you think that this is the best way to move on from Marti's death, then go ahead while I call Child Services. It's your take."

_Thud..._

Lizzie, Edwin, Nora, George, and Derek all looked towards upstairs. Derek whispered the girl's name and ran upstairs to the bathroom. "Casey!" He shouted.

The brunette was lying on the cramped bathroom floor, her eyes still frozen. "DAD! Call 911. Get help, please!"

He heard footsteps up the stairs, but didn't turn, because the gasp gave enough answer. Faintly, he heard his father calling for an ambulence. The familiar cries of the youngers echoed.

But the only thing he said was this,

"Please, don't take her yet, Marti..."


	10. Chapter 10

Derek paced about the small room, stepping only with the sounds of the heart monitor. His step-sister laid on the bed, her blue eyes closed and hidden beneath the veils better known as eyelids, and a ventilator hooked up to her nose letting her breath and and IV tube stuck to her arm.

Derek's hands were shaking like hell, which could only compare the slightest to how he felt. He lost his best friend just yesterday, it still felt, and here he was, back in the wretched white building, so close to losing another sister. The tears brimmed his eyes once more. He turned away from Casey's form, closing his eyes tight.

"Derek..."

The 15-year-old turned back to the cot and almost burst into tears.

Casey's blue eyes slowly arose and looked around in confusion. She raised her hand and looked at the IV in her arm.

"Casey..." Derek scrambled around for that stupid, pathetic white - like everything else in the building - plastic chair and sat it beside the cot. "What..."

Casey turned back, giving a small smile to her older step-brother. _No, __**brother...**_"I saw Marti."

Derek gave a surprised, questioned look.

"She said, "Turn around, big sis. And fight him back."

Derek bit his lips. "Case..." Derek grasped onto his sister, who wrapped her arms around him.

And finally, for the first time in fifteen years, Derek Venturi allowed himself to sob.


End file.
